#DailyDevotion Jesus Does His Best Work With Us When We’re Powerless

2 Cor. 12:1-9 I have to boast. It doesn’t do any good, but I’ll go on with what the Lord though has shown and told me. ²I know a man in Christ; fourteen years ago — whether in his body or outside it, I don’t know, God knows — ³that man was caught up to the third heaven. I know that such a man — whether in his body or outside it, I don’t know, God knows — ⁴was caught up to Paradise and heard what no human being can express or is allowed to talk about. ⁵About such a man I will boast, but as to myself, I will boast only of my weaknesses. ⁶But if I would want to boast, I wouldn’t be a fool, because I’d be telling the truth. But I’m not going to do it, in order to keep anyone from thinking more of me than he judges me to be by seeing me or hearing me. ⁷To keep me from feeling proud because such wonderful things were revealed to me, a thorn was put into my flesh, Satan’s messenger to plague me and keep me from feeling proud. ⁸Three times I begged the Lord to have it leave me alone, ⁹but He told me, “My grace is enough for you. When you are weak, My power is doing its best work.” So I will delight all the more to boast of my weaknesses in order to have Christ’s power rest on me.

Paul piles on the boasting though in “anonymous” terms in chapter 12. He had shown in the previous chapter he has just as much credentials in being a Jew as the super apostles in Corinth. He had boasted of his weaknesses in what he had endured, his griefs and shame. But if they really want to be impressed with something about Paul then I guess this incident in his life ought to do it. He was caught up to the third heaven, whatever that is. Though Paul intimates it is him in verse one, he acts like it is someone else in the following verses. Well that kind of person Paul would boast about.



Paul however wants to see him only boast in his weaknesses. As he does this he does kind of reveal it is him who had this experience. While he doesn’t want anyone to judge him based on anything other than by seeing him and hearing him. The LORD then does something to keep Paul humble despite having this great experience. A thorn was put in Paul’s side, a messenger of Satan. Now what this is doesn’t really matter. I believe Paul is ambiguous concerning this so you can apply it to your own life. Some think it is a physical malady. Others think it is a sin he couldn’t get rid of. Some others still think it is perhaps the Jews and false teachers who always were dogging him. In any case he prayed for the LORD to remove it from him but the LORD said no. He doesn’t often say no. When he does it is because what we are asking for is not good for us, for the spreading of the Gospel or for the Church. This thorn in the flesh kept Paul humble.

But the LORD gave Paul this consolation, “My grace is enough for you. When you are weak, My power is doing its best work.” Now unfortunately this verse is often taken out of context and misused and abused by many people. It’s not talking about winning a football game that is for certain. What is it’s meaning for us then? It’s plane meaning is best. Whatever you are experiencing in life, God’s grace is sufficient for you to get through it. When you are at your weakest point, that is when you will look to God alone in Christ Jesus for help. When he is your only hope that is when his power is doing his best work. He does his best work when we are powerless because we are getting out of the way. If we boast, then let us with Paul boasts in the LORD Jesus Christ whose power rest on us.

Heavenly Father, grant us faith so we may rely up the grace and power of your Son Jesus Christ, so our boasts may be in the LORD. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.